Improved car-coupling



w c.. MORSE. Car fCcu'pling.

No. 49292. Pateted'iAug. 1865.A

- B B, and attached PATENT OFFICE.

\V. O. MORSE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED CAR-COUPLING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 49,292, dated August S,1865.

To allwhom t may concern.:

Be it known that LW. O. MORSE, of Boston, in the countyof Suffolk andState ot` Massashusetts, haveinveuted a new and useful Self- ShacklingOar-Coupling; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description ot' the construction and operation of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevationrepresenting the shackling-pin D drawn up, and Fig. 2 is a similar viewrepresenting the shackling-pin dropped down. Fig. 3 is a top view, Fig.4 is a front elevation, and Fig. 5 is an inside plan, of one oftheclamps J J.

Like parts are indicated by the saine letters in all the drawings.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my improvements, Iwill now describe the construction and operation ofthe same.

A is the bunter or front of the coupling, and B B are the top and bottompieces, all of iron, and constructed substantially like many in generaluse.

G is a block of cast-iron, conned between the top and bottom pieces, BB, by means of the bolts a c and screw-nuts b b. In the center of thefront end of this block C is a recess large enough to receive the end ofthe link L, asshown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and thereby prevent thesame from dropping down from a horizontal position.

JJ are metallic clamps, shaped as clearly `shown in Figs. l, 4, and 5,placed behind the bunter A between the top and bottom pieces, by meansof screws or rivets to the front ends of the dat springs I I, the backends ot' which are confined in a similar manner to the sides of theblock C. Attached to each of these clamps by means ot' a pivot, a, `(seeFig. 5,) is a cheek, J', which turns freely a few degrees on said pivotin a square-con nered recess in the clamp, as clearly shown in Figs. 4and 5. Across these cheeks are grounded depressions m m, into which thelink L is forced, the springs I I allowing the said clamps to yieldenough to receive ir, while at the same time they hold it in anyrequired position, either horizontal or slightly inclined up or down, asmay be required to direct it (the link) into another coupling of asimilar construction on another car.

It' the two hunters are of the same height, the link L should behorizontal, but it' (as is sometimes the case) one bunter is higher thananother, then the link pressed between the cheeks J f J (which turn ontheir pivots n) may have its outer end elevated or depressed tocorrespond with the height of the bunter into which it is to be forcedand shackled. Y

D is the shackling-pin, bent into the are of a circle, as shown in Figs.1 and 2, and confined to the front end ot the lever E by means of thescrew-nnte, or in any other obvious manner. The back end of this leverisdivided, forming two arms, which are bent as shown in Figs. 1 and 3,and attached to the sides of the block O by means of pivots f f.

G is a sliding arm, the front end of which is round and passes through aholein the bunter A, while the rear end is datand passes through aclasp, H, on the side ofthe block C, as rep resentedin Figs. 1,2, and 3.On the inner side of the arm G is a slot, '10, (see Fig. 3,) whichreceives the lower end, t, of the forked lever E. Projecting into theslot w is a pin, 7G, which, striking against the lower end, t, ot'thelever E, will raise the latter into the position represented in Fig.1.

F is a link or dog, the center of which is attached to the side ot' theblock O by the pivot i, while its lower end is attached to the arm G bythe pivot j. The design of this link is to hold the shackling-pin D andleverE in the po sition shown in Fig. 1, which it does by having its topforced under the shoulder l is a pin or start projecting from the sideof the block C, its purpose being to prevent the lever E from risinghigh enough to draw the shackling-pin D out ot' the hole in the toppiece, B.

h is a chain or rope attached to the loop` g, and exteudin g upward tothe platform or top of the car, so that a person there may by means ofsaid chain or rope withdraw the shacklingpin D from the link L and intothe position.

represented in Fig. l, where it will be held, as before described, bymeans of the link F. The levers E and Gr and pin D being in the posisition, shown in Fig. 1, the coupling is ready to receive a link, L,held, as shown in Fig. 2, in the coupling of another car. The link L(being held by the clamps J J of one coupling) will enter between theclamps of the other, and when the bunter strikes the projecting end ofthe arm-G, forcing il: back into the, position shown vinI Fig. 2,releasing the link F from the shoulder m, and driving the pin, D,downward through the link or dog L, thus forming a selfshacklingcar-coupling.

My improvement is-very simple, cheap, and efcient, and can be readilyapplied to man y of the couplings now in general use.

Having thus described the construction and v operation of my invention,what I claim as new,

and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The grooved and pivoted cheeks J J f, in

Ycombination with the yielding clamps J J, substantially as set forthand for the purpose described.

2. The arm G, projecting in front of the bunter A, in combination withthe lever E and shackling-pin-D, substantially as end for the purposedescribed.

3. The link or dog F, in combination with the arm G and lever E, for thepurpose ofholding up the latter, substantiallyr as described.

W. C. MORSE. Witnesses: f

N. AMES, GEO. R. CLARKE.

